Garden care: Plant corms 10-15cm (4-6in) deep and 25cm apart on a bed of sharp sand to aid drainage. In frost-prone areas, lift them when the leaves turn yellow-brown and store the corms in a dry, frost-free place over winter

An acquired taste

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Bulbs are ideal for anyone who rates themselves as 'keen-but-clueless' because they are one of the easiest plants to grow. Provided you plant them at the right time of year at more or less the right depth, they will reward you year after year with a rel

If rabbits, deer, squirrels or cats devour or scratch up your plants these wire mesh protectors will give them time to get established. The pyramid-shaped 'Rabbit Proof Cloche' and dome-shaped 'Squirrel Proof Cloche'

It's very easy to dismiss gladioli and Barrie Humphrey's Edna Everage hasn't helped the gladdie's image one bit! However gladioli make good additions to a cutting garden, or they can be massed into a border. They come in exciting colours and forms and